Old Habits Die Hard >Salva<

A figure sat almost motionless on the edge of an assortment of small rocks, lining a brilliant waterfall. The mist swelled and pulsed in the air from its ever-present rush of fresh water. Then, she lifted her head to the sky, golden eyes cold and infinite like frozen amber through her black and silver hair. Nyuhi sighed and wondered why she kept coming back here, to this waterfall. The waterfall where her brother fell to his death protecting her. Idley, she began pulling up her sleeves and unravelling the battered bandages from her wrists. Numerous multi-sized white scars covered her already pale skin. She shivered, and her sleek black tail curled over her lap against her tightly, though she didnt feel the chill of the mist. Nyu never understood why people remembered and sometimes tried to recreate situatuions that caused them great pain. It was the mystery of mysteries to her. Letting her black robe fall from her shoulders, she enjoyed the airy feel of her training clothes, forgetting for a moment the crude tattoo meaning 'wolf' engraved in her right arm. Then the calm moment was gone, her wolf ears erect and twitching. She stood and twisted around, her fangs beared and her hands curled to make her claws look more lethal. There was someone in the woods watching her, she could smell ad hear them.

[playing as Salva's kage bunshin]

Salva walked through the woods, with trees that rose so high, their tops were lost in the thick coarsing mist. She loved to walk among these trees, they made her feel so small and unimportant, which she was at home with. Although she was at the rank of Mizukage, she had never felt herself stronger than any other ninja in her village, infact she thought that choosing her was a mistake of the council, but she always backed that idea with "They never make mistakes." She even sometimes had to convinse herself of this, but in the end, her remaining thought was: no matter her strength, she was going to lead this village as best she could, and would easily give her life if needed. This was a part of her emmense ninja way, or nindo.

Salva walked until the trees started to lessen, and rocks began to become sprawled out all over the place. She was some what glad to see something that made her feel strong and important. There was another near by; she sensed it. Salva looked around timidly, searching for some one else in her area. But she found no one, just a large pile of rocks. Salva then heard a snarl, and jumped into the air, landing perfectly on a tiny branch, which held her weight, before jumping again, rotating in the air, and landing infront of the rocks with the utmost grace and beauty. It was then when she was faced with the sight of a genin from her own village sitting alone, claws streached. She was not scared, but was feeling as if she had intruded...

Nyuhi stared up at her, her eyes had changed from the cold gold to look as if it were molten liquad, burning with some intensity that couldnt be measured. She always feared people finding out where she went when she wasnt in the village. It took her a moment to notice who she had snarled at, and she studied the woman in the tree, the fur on her tail still bristling. Nyu stood straight again, and looked away from the woman, moving swiftly back towards her things as she tried to hide her scarred wrists from her view. This was the last thing she wanted. To be face to face with the leader of the cruel humans of this village. Before she had only seen glimpses and pictures of her. It was enough for her to recognize the Mizukage. Nyu kept her back toward her, but kept looking over her shoulder slightly as she walked back to collect her things.

Salva hopped from her pearch on the tree, to land closer to the girl. She knew she had intruded, but she did not expect this from one of her own, was she doing some wrong. She knew that she had never enjoyed having her secret spots known by others, and wondered if this is what the girl was feeling and going through? She had felt guilty before, but was now both guilty and confussed over the matter. The girl had reacted to seeing her as if she had done some wrong, what was this wrong. Salva then noticed the scars that were quickly concealed by bandage as she had appeared. She wondered what they were from, but she guessed they were not self inflicted. It was then, as the girl got up, that Salva noticed the girls tail and ears. Salva was stunned, left mouth open in her mind, while completetly unfased on the outside. She did not want to appeare dissrespectful to the girl, she wanted to know what was wrong, or what she had done, but she would start with saying sorry!
"Im sorry I did not mean to intrude on you... Nyuhi..." The name came to her after a moments pause, remembering some one from the council talking about her, in a mean way, a more dissrespectful way. Salva had scolded him then and there for what he had said, due to feeling sorry for the girl. She did have a compassion for her, seeing as humans had abused her according to what she had heard. And now she was here, the head of all of them in this village, that must be scary... no wonder...

She had almost been done re-wrapping her bandages when the Mizukage drew closer, she could hear the dull thump on the ground as she landed and smell her scent coming stronger as she came closer. Nyu paused, her hands oustretched; one hand pulling at the bandage as she wound it over her other arm. Then she continued again, faster and more rapid in her haste to leave. It could be measured in months the time between when she had last spoken to someone. Even then they weren't good words. Her long tail flicked absenlty once, the mist and the sun making a small rainbow of colors on her fur. Then, she suddenly stood erect, her dark robe clasped in her clawed hand tightly as she looked back at her, eyes stil ablaze with some cryptic emotion. Her voice was cold with a somewhat soft undertone. The mark on her arm was downcast, the letters outlined by shadow. It had an odd, farway ache to it that had started to grow in intensity.
"No, not at all. Exuse me for being in your way."

Salva was shocked in the tone at which she was spoken too. She was looked at as the best leader that the mist had seen. She had done no wrong to any one... but why was she still treated like she was back at home, where she was nothing?

The shy girl took another step forward, then another, slowly as to not invade suddenly. She was confused... why?
As the girls voice halted, and she ended her remark, Salva jerked her hand to her heart, in a loose fist, as if hurt by hurting her.

Salva was still in a minor state of shock at the ladies wolf-like appearance, but she had heard and seen pictures in the bingo book, so it was not totally new. All the same, she knew the horrible way in which these queer people were treated, and it was one of her goals to stop this in the village.

"Ma'am, I'm not here to hurt you like others i know have. I just came here for the same reason as you, but I can leave if you want me to?"

Nyuhi made a huff of fake laughter, sounding dull and unfeeling. If she wanted her to? Wondering what game this was, she narrowed her amber eyes, her ears now flat against her head in anger. Her voice was flippant as she looked down at the water. Her reflection glared back at her. Lips pulled back in a silent snarl that showed her fangs faintly, and the griamce on her features made her look older and more bitter. Nothing like the girl in the picture of her family from long ago. It was like she was a totally different person now. Nyu turned away hastily, her eyes turning cold. Her eyes glittered with something different from anger. Was it sadness?
"I don't care. Do whatever you want. You'll do it anyway. I was on my way home anyway."